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Shulassakar
The Shulassakar are a rare psionic race of monstrous humanoids resembling feathered serpentfolk. They superficially resemble the yuan-ti, with whom they may share some distant relation and animosity. History Shulassakar are descended from loyal humans of Sarlona whose ancestors were transformed by the couatl during the final days of the Age of Demons to serve as guardians over the seals keeping the Overlords bound in Khyber. The shulassakar secretly ruled the nation of Khalesh before the Sundering, a nation unified by the worship of the couatl. Khalesh is now a province of Riedra consisting largely of resettled humans who fear the shulassakar as "demons" and are kept unaware of ancient couatl ruins in the land. Those that faithlessly abandoned the Silver Flame and became corrupted are said to have became the serpentfolk known as the yuan-ti. Appearance & Personality The shulassakar have serpentine characteristics, but unlike the yuan-ti they are reflective of the lasting blessing of their celestial patrons, the couatl. Bright feathers cover their scales, and the more humanlike among them have bright, shifting hues that appear like tattoos on their skin. The shulassakar are intensely proud, and believe themselves the true heirs to the couatl and the Silver Flame. They generally believe humans weak and unworthy of the Silver Flame. They have a particular animosity towards the yuan-ti, who they believe to be fallen kin. The shulassakar oppose and are opposed by the forces that would threaten the Silver Flame. This includes, the Cults of the Dragon Below, The Inspired of Riedra, and, foremost among these, the Lords of Dust. Types Shulassakar believe in three stages of reincarnation, in keeping with the three known subraces of shulassakar. As they are reincarnated and transition through these stages in separate lives, they become closer to the form of their patrons, the couatl. * Servants (Bloodsworn): The equivalent of yuan-ti purebloods, they bear the most resemblance to their distant ancestors from Sarlona, and are capable of passing for human. Their favored class is ranger. This subrace does not have feathers, but instead has beautiful, shifting markings that appear similar to tattoos on their skin and change related to their mood. * Flametouched: The equivalent of yuan-ti halfbloods, they are covered in bright feathers and some flametouched even possess wings. Their favored class is cleric. * Transcendant: The equivalent of the yuan-ti abomination, they are the closest to the form the couatl and least resemble the humanoid form. Their favored class is cleric. All members of this caste develop wings in emulation of the couatl and are adept fliers. Lands The shulassakar guard the ancient fortresses of the couatl. A community of them reside in a ruined city surrounding the ancient couatl fortress of Krezent in the Talenta Plains, which the plains halflings believe to be cursed. Others still guard couatl ruins from the Age of Demons on the continent of Sarlona, several of which are in Adar. Shulassakar once ruled Khalesh, but those that survived fled during the Sundering and the land was adopted into the nation of Riedra under the rule of The Inspired. Some shulassakar reside in the jungles of Xen'drik where they actively oppose the yuan-ti. Religion Almost all shulassakar are devoted followers of their interpretation of the Silver Flame, sometimes called the Flame that Binds. They also revere the couatl for their original sacrifice to form the Flame, and are among the most ancient forms of Serpent Cults in existence. The shulassakar view the Church of the Silver Flame as a limited form of their true religion for more limited beings. As the followers of the modern Church need Tira Miron and the Keeper of the Flame to interpret the couatl's wishes for them. Notable Personalities * Dalassakash'alyntar, Servant of the Flame that Binds: Dalassakash'alyntar is an example shulassakar who recruits Daine to fight the fiend Kazalak after it escaped from the Silver Flame. * Sesstaria: Sesstaria is a winged, transcendant shulassakar paladin and harsh executer of justice in Xen'drik. She uncovered a horrid yuan-ti camp near The Hydra river captured humans were turned into wretchlings, debased humanoids that serve as fodder for the yuan-ti. She ordered all inhabitants destroyed, but Surrayana felt pity for several children and fled with them to Stormreach. Sesstaria won't pursue them herself into the city proper, and may send others of her group to retrieve them on her behalf. * Surrayana: Surrayana is a servant or bloodsworn shulassakar priestess who resides in the Harbor district of Stormreach and is able to blend in more easily than her kin. Out of pity, she watches over four young children who were mutated into beings known as wretchlings by her corrupted kin, the yuan-ti. She feels pity for their situation, and evades the wrath of her former commander Sesstaria to protect these children from being destroyed as monsters. Notes Keith Baker has suggested on his website that flametouched shulassakar may be modeled as aasimar in 5th Edition terms. References Category:Races Category:Creatures found in Sarlona Category:Creatures found in the Talenta Plains Category:Medium Creatures Category:Humanoids Category:Silver Flame Category:Creatures found in Adar Category:Creatures from the Age of Demons Category:Servants of the Couatl Category:Monstrous Humanoids